The Inquisitor's Namesake
by NOTCONTinued
Summary: He held him only for a second and then he was gone. She prayed she find him once more, as her journey became all the more perilous. One-shot.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

"So, if I may ask, Inquisitor, exactly where are we going," Cassandra questioned.

They had been traveling in circles for days now. The Seeker was beginning to wonder what the Inquisitor's intentions were. Besides getting them hopelessly lost.

Varric smirked at the accusation in the woman's voice, "What Seeker means say is: How much longer do we have to climb these damned hills?" he explained while struggling up the steep incline.

Cassandra snorted," That's your question, Varric,"

"Still a good question,"

The Inquisitor laughed softly,"It shouldn't be much further, at least according to Leliana's directions. So have no fear Varric, your feet will be resting in no time," she responded.

"Good Butterfly, not use to walking up hills and mountains. This outfit isn't great for traveling," he replied while gesturing to his exposed chest hair for emphasis.

The Inquisitor shook her head in amusement, and continued up the hill. She purposely let them out of the loop of where they were going. The more people knew why she going where she was going, danger would come. Thankfully for the Inquisitor, Leliana kept her own agents in the dark about why they needed to find a simple farmhouse. The bard knew that even in war, secrets were precious. This was secret the Inquisitor wanted to remain just that. No need for it to come to light.

As they neared the top of the hill, a small field and farm came into view. At the back, Varric breathed a sigh of relief as the land flattened.

Cassandra's eyebrow rose slightly as she stared at the location before her. There was no strategic need for this place, no criminals, or bandits, not even a single red templar. It was regular farm, nothing special to it. When she turned to ask the Inquisitor what was here, Cassandra saw a far-away gaze in her eyes. A look that spoke of a distant memory of a time long past.

The Inquisitor demeanor grew serious,a change from the smiling and laughing woman they all knew. Cole stood next to her and felt an immense sadness and despair within the Inquisitor. Dark and locked away so the others wouldn't see.

"Soft and warm he was. So small. So-"

"Cole...not this time," the Inquisitor whispered to him faintly.

Cole didn't understand why. He wanted to help her, just like she helped him. He wanted her hurt to go away.

"I want to help you. Your hurting and it hurts me, but not how it hurts you. It's a different hurt. Please let me," Cole tried explaining quickly.

Inquisitor smiled sadly, and felt very touched by his concern, "You can help me by going in there with me,"

Cole nodded in agreement, "I can do that, if helps take the hurt away,"

Varric cleared his throat,"I have a feeling you're going to drop one heck of a punchline, Inquisitorialness,"

Inquisitor looked to the ground absently before speaking to her companions, "Alright, what happens here stays here. It only can be discussed here. No talking about it back at Skyhold. The more people that know..." the Inquisitor walked forward to the door.

She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The Inquisitor's mind raced at the possible scenarios in her mind. Parts of her were frightened, others anxious, and some were even happy. Never before has she ever been this emotionally compromised. The Inquisitor only hoped that she would be able to handle whatever came her way. She had no other option.

After several grueling moments, the door open to small and stout woman. She held a motherly kindness about her, and that gave the Inquisitor great relief.

"Hello. Can I help you folk?" the woman asked.

"I-I uh..." the Inquisitor stumbled, "A-are you Lucinda?"

Cassandra and Varric looked at each with equally surprised expressions. The Inquisitor was never at loss of words. Not even when staring down Coryphyus in the face of death. Something was definitely up.

"Yes? Who are you? Oh! I should recognized you! Your the Lady Inquisitor! You're the..." Lucinda's eyes grew wide as if she saw a ghost. The Inquisitor's heart thumped against her chest with each passing silence. She was scared she would turn her away.

However, that was not the case, "You're her. I'm sorry...I've imagined this moment a million times over in my mind, and not once did I ever conceive that you could be her. I even had doubts...that you would return to meet him. Please do come in. All of you," Lucinda finally said after regaining her mind.

"Thank you,"

Lucinda led them into her quaint warm home. It was small and the mere presence of all their bodies made it seem all the more tinier. The Inquisitor, however, did not mind. It said volumes about the people who lived there: close-knit and loving.

"I'm sorry about the mess. As you know, it's his birthday, and he wanted cookies. His father out in Redcliffe trying to find a suitable present this year. Since the rebellion, the roads weren't safe to have proper celebration. You have our gratitude for making these parts safer," Lucinda explained.

The Inquisitor smiled. "It's the least I can do for everyone here...," she grew quiet, and her companions stared at her with confused looks, "How is he?"

Lucinda wiped a small tear from the corner of her eye, "He's a good boy, Inquisitor. . So polite, and sweet. Very brave. Wants to be an adventurer warrior, he says. Leo...I don't know how to describe him. He knows nothing of greed, or selfishness. Always willing to help. You did well. ,"

_You did well...Oh Maker she's a mother! She has a child! _Cassandra eyes nearly fell out of her sockets once she made the connection.

"I'm glad. If it's not too much...may I see what he looks like?" the Inquisitor asked.

"Of course, he's probably playing in the field right now," Lucinda led them to back door and opened it.

A small boy of nine with auburn curls was off running through the golden fields of wheat with other children. He looked happy, and that's all she wanted. He had grown so much since the Inquisitor held him in her arms at the Circle. When he was only minutes old, for a precious few seconds...before he was taken from her.

"He looks like you, Inquisitor," Lucinda said as they all stared at the child.

"It's like looking at a twin," Varric commented with large eyes.

"He's so small. Can something be so small?" Cole replied.

"Yeah, Kid, they can,"

"He has his father's coloring," the Inquisitor remarked distantly.

Those auburn curls that use to send her racing were all what is left of her love. The life they could've had if she hadn't been a mage. She could've had them both. And she couldn't...all because of magic and people's fear of it.

Lucinda felt the need to ask about the unknown man, "Is he still..." she trailed, knowing that the Inquisitor knew what she meant.

"No,"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried,"

"You weren't the one who killed him," the Inquisitor said quietly.

It was painful to think about him after the rebellion took him from her. Only in dreams did she allow herself to be with him. The Inquisitor awaited the day she would be reunited with him. She never stopped loving him. A forbidden love she held dear to her heart.

She spent the next several minutes watching her child play and dance through the field. Lucinda did a wonderful job raising him. She gave him a life he could be happy in. That he could actually live and prosper in. She provided more than what the Inquisitor ever could. More than what she and her love could give him.

She wondered if he knew...if he knew the origins of his birth," Does he know?" she asked.

"Yes, somehow he knows. He says he has two mummies and two daddies. I don't know how he knows. He hasn't shown any signs of magic, so I know why he knows what he knows. He's special," Lucinda answered.

The Inquisitor felt guilty. She didn't raise him, Lucinda did, "He's still yours, Lucinda...I just wanted to see him once. Just once. I should go,"

The Inquisitor turned to leave, but Lucinda stopped her, "You should talk to him,"

"He shouldn't know who I am. It would be better that way. As Inquisitor, I can die at any moment...and he would be all alone. That wouldn't be fair to him. No, it wouldn't be right for me to come into his life, only to leave again," she explained with heartbreak.

"He's happy, and he doesn't have to know who you are, if you don't want him to. I think you owe it to yourself to meet him at least once. To know the sound of his voice,"

The Inquisitor stared at the ground where she stood. She wanted so desperately to meet him...and to hold him again, just once. She had surpressed these urges for so long. She believed they were both better off not knowing each other. The Inquisitor tried so hard to not indulge in a selfish dream. Leo has a family, a home, a life worth living. To see all this unfold was more than what she could've hoped for. To want more, she thought, would be too much...but she wanted to.

The Inquisitor looked up again to see her boy running once more. He had a contagious smile,just like his father. She felt defeated to her feelings. She was at their mercy and whim. Her last resolve was crumbling before her eyes. She couldn't holdout anymore, she had to hear him. She had to.

Sensing her change of heart, Lucinda called for Leo, "Leo, come here. I want you to meet someone,"

The little boy came running to his mother with his bright blue eyes full of life. The Inquisitor felt her eyes sting, and she held her breath at how close he was. She resisted the urge to touch his cheek. Her whole body shook with joy.

Leo gazed at the Inquisitor with curious eyes and smiled. She smiled back at him as her heart sang with joy.

Grinning at their exchange, Lucinda said,"Leo, this is the Inquisitor. Say hello,"

"Hello," he cocked his head to the side and smiled again," You're nice. You help people and keep the bad guys away. I like you, you aren't the scary mage like how the bards make you sound," the boy explained.

"Thank you, Leo. I hope I'm not too scary for you," she replied while trying the emotion from her voice.

"Mother, can I show the Inquisitor my friends? I'm sure they'll like her. Her friends can come too if they want," he asked.

Cassandra answered for Cole and Varric, "We'll stay here. We're very tired from our journey and we aren't as exciting as the Herald. I'm sure the Inquisitor would love to meet your friends,"

"He looks like them both. In mind and soul. He-"

Varric jabbed Cole in the hip, "What my friend means is that we don't have marks on our hands to make us you know, weird," he explained.

Cassandra gave the Inquisitor a nod to encourage to go on her own. The Inquisitor bowed her head in thanks as the boy took her by the hand to the field of children. The Inquisitor knelt to their height as her son introduced his companions to her. The Seeker smiled at the sight.

"Who would've known Butterfly had a kid running around," Varric said.

"It must've been heartbreaking for her. She's stronger than I realized. I misjudged her," Cassandra replied.

"She's happy. If only a little bit. Oh he has his eyes...I could've had them both," Cole said as he repeated the Inquisitor's thoughts.

Cassandra placed a gentle hand on the spirit boy's shoulder, "We shouldn't invade their privacy. Come, we should prepare for the journey to Skyhold. No doubt, she will want to return after this,"

* * *

That day was the only time Leo saw his mother alive. The Inquisitor perished after the a heroic battle with Corypheus, sacrificing life itself for the fate of Thedas. In end, she braved down evil with no fear in her heart. The Maker chose to her from them.

Esteemed storyteller Varric Tethras spread stories of the Inquisitor's heroics and selfless nature to any willing to read and hear. Through his stories the Inquisitor never died, and the Inquisition became a beacon of hope to all. And Inquisitor was immortalized through the Inquisition legacy.

A decade after the Inquisition was founded, her legacy was not forgotten.

"And that folks, that is the Inquisitor Trevelyan story," Varric concluded as people sat all around him by the fire.

"I remember her. She was so pretty! And nice!"

"Is it true she had a dragon?!"

"I heard she made someone dress like jester as punishment"

The listeners filed out of Varric's shop with chatter and rumor's of the Inquisitor. Varric sighed deeply, as he always did after the tales of his friends. These stories weighed on him after years of repeat. It wasn't as fulfilling when his friends weren't alive to hear the tale. Still, it brought some part of them back, if only for a little while.

As Varric cleaned his shop, the door creaked open.

_Thugs _he thought bitterly.

"Listen pal. If you don't leave, I may ask Bianca here to-"

Varric stopped talking when he stared at a face a decade dead. Or a face that resembled another.

A young man stood in the door way of Varric's shop. His curly hair dripping from the rainy Kirkwall night. He had only a small sack with and worn clothing torn from constant travel. At that moment, he looked just like her. Other worldly and full of questions.

The young man cleared his throat, "I'm not sure if you remember me or-"

"Leo wasn't it?" Varric assured him.

Leo nodded, "Yeah, that was it. I heard you're the one to come to about stories of the Inquisitor. I only met her once, and I never saw her again. I wanted to see what she was like. My mother said she was a good woman, and I was young when I met her. I barely remembered what she looked like," he explained.

Varric smirked to prevent the tears from his eyes from falling over. The Maker placed him among for a reason. He was there when she was alive, and now he was here with her son. How fitting. Her namesake was here. And another adventure waiting to begin.

"I'm your dwarf, Junior. If you want the story, we start from the beginning.,"

**I hope you guys enjoyed this! If you really liked leave a review...or not. Either or.**

**As always, thank you for reading!**


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